kmart

Face it, you're an ethnic minority in someone else's country. (This is quite a novelty for a Brit! ) They can call you whatever they want.... So what...?

If I had money to chuck around like that, then there are worse ways to blow / spend it. Eating the world's finest foods and wines really rather appeals to me. That money is being generated for charity says that this is just philanthropy with food. What's the problem?

No mention of pudding? Custard?....

Same as any tourist resort in the world, mate. People are on their jollies and tend to throw money around.

The only thing that tees me off is places like most of Phuket where there is a blanket 10% service charge on everything. I don't mind tipping for good service; but mandatory tips lead to crap service and attitudes.

It is risky.

When and if I do stop, they like to play games, so do I. The more you stall and confuse them, the more of their precious tea money time you waste. They quickly see it's going nowhere while all the other cash paying customers are driving by, you then usually get the white glove waving you off in the side view mirror. Useless pr!cks.

We now carry a small digital cam and will record a movie from the dashboard when we are pulled over.

lol. I have to drive quite a lot with my job here, and I know most of the tricks for confusing the more bumptious of the traffic cops. We know its a game, and sometimes me and the cop end up pissing ourselves laughing together. Firstly, whatever your level of proficiency in the language; never speak Thai to them. If you have a driving license from your home country, show them it.... I have an old UK license that is A5 sized when you get it out from the wallet. Cops pretending to study it intensely whilst its actually upside down is a particular favourite of mine. After this and a few more jolly japes, he's either waved me on in disgust or shot me in the face.

Anyway, if PC Plodprasit is still at my window after all this, he should be earmarked for promotion, and he gets my bribe, no worries.

I have a decent-res, full-sized Highway Patrol badge that can be printed onto sticker plastic and put in yer window, if you never, ever want to be pulled by the cops again. Only Satan's immediate family get these given to them outside the force. PM me if you want one.

Interesting perspective. Thanks for posting that.

The mods never sleep with so many threads to close down.....

Actually, being embarrassed by your own nationality is a typically depressing British trait.....

If I was splashing out so much dosh on a scran (ok, I'm a pleb), I'd at least expect a few endangered species to be laid on; maybe seared Siberian Tiger steak in a Pangolin sauce, or Giant Panda cutlets pan fried with fricaseed shark fins in a Great Barrier Reef garnish.

They would need to go to the Chiang Mai Night Safari for that menu!

So I've *ahem*... heard.

The Korean fraternity certainly enjoy their bear (culinary) necessities here in Thailand also. Allegedly.

There is a very good reason why I don't drink, my ex was the alcoholic. Her habit cost me a hel_l of a lot, both financially and emotionally, but she paid the ultimate price - she drunk herself to death.

Sorry to hear that. I have a drunk in my past also.

Reminds me of the old joke about the bloke who didn't know if his wife had Alzheimers or AIDS. *sorry*

I haven't read through all the posts, but what I used to do with my maid periodically when things got bad was tell her that I had lost a hundred baht somewhere in the house and tell her if she found it she could have it. Used to work like a charm! The place was spic and span clean.

By the way, I used to actually hide a hundred baht--but she wasn't very smart and it took her the entire house to find it!

But, hey, I am pretty generous, I could get her to do the same for 10 baht.

My missus can spot an alien pubic hair from 300 yards, and I feel could surely help with Simon's hotel cleaning problems.

Besides ripping each other off at every oppurtunity ? ....... er, sorry thats surely not true, but I have a bunch of them that fly radio control helicopters and jet planes on my land that cost more than the cars they drive - and they crash them on a regular basis. e]

"Get orf moi laaaaand!" are you Farmer Palmer?

Just chuck a few sausages in there with the spuds, add some onions and gravy; plunge thoroughly for 30 mins,- hey presto! Perfect bog bangers 'n mash.

ps, your girlfriend must have an extraordinarly fast metabolism...

If I was splashing out so much dosh on a scran (ok, I'm a pleb), I'd at least expect a few endangered species to be laid on; maybe seared Siberian Tiger steak in a Pangolin sauce, or Giant Panda cutlets pan fried with fricaseed shark fins in a Great Barrier Reef garnish.

But then again, I'm quite a picky eater.

My own ignorance is obviously bliss; but it looks like the happy-go-lucky and chirpy manner of mr hippo has not escaped the manufacturers of games for happy kids of all ages looking for some happy hippo hilarity;-

Always the same. Its only corruption when someone else is doing it...

Hippo's seem to be particularly hostile animals; responsible for many attacks on unwary bathers. I watched a prog on NGC about them last night.

Mr Hippo here doesn't appear particularly aggresive though ... in fact quite the opposite ... he seems rather shy ... more like the legendary sasquatch ... a solitary beast only venturing to subcivilisation to forage on berries and nuts and lecture the odd class or two ....

Yes. Rather secretive eating and mating habits, and relatively little is known about the social lives of this aquatic bovine creature. Except they are known as "the river's silent killer." *titter*

Hippo's seem to be particularly hostile animals; responsible for many attacks on unwary bathers. I watched a prog on NGC about them last night.

Do you have preconceptions of farang from countries other than your own?

I wish I didn't, but I'm afraid I do. 30 years ago, when I began my travelling life, Brits used to be some of the best company I would come across. Now, from many personal experiences, I don't find many that aren't trying to get over on you. Obnoxious, violent drunks and classist snobs for the most part. I know that's strong and a generalization, but it's my experience all the same. It's not my intent to flame the Brits, I'm sure many or even most are very good. I just haven't met them.

This is quite true, i'm ashamed to say. For the most part, the professional expat guys who work here and around this part of the world with legit jobs are still generally a great bunch. Sadly though, a lot of the yob and criminal classes have seemed to have made the tourist centres of Thailand their dens. After Spain signed extradition treaties...?

Globalisation's down side.

Lots of Thai people at the gym / swimming baths near me. The missus enjoys reading, music, yoga, cooking, etc.

My staff at work enjoy football, golf, off-roading, amateur radio, even stamp collecting, etc. etc. They keep themselves busy after work with mostly healthy pastimes.

Most Thais are a lot more "social" in their hobbies / activities than Westerners, and less drawn to solitary activity.

Holy Shiite .... I sincerely hope everyone got out alive.

Looks like they were minding their own business waiting to turn right.

The photos are around three years old already. Taken on the entrance road and main crossroads at the Maptaphut Industrial Estate, Rayong.

Accidents happened quite regularly here, and as my work involves driving in and out of the place almost daily, I have had the misfortune of seeing some terrible accidents and sights here.

This particular accident was caused by the driver taking a bend too fast. The container was secured, but the momentum of the truck flipped it over onto those poor unfortunates waiting at the lights.

There has since been lots of warning signals to drivers of trucks coming from other provinces to slow down, and police patrols to escort, or slow down the truck drivers. It has worked, and accidents have been greatly reduced during the last couple of years.

Good job, because the potential for disaster around this area is quite staggering due all the pipelines near the roads here, transmitting extremely dangerous chemicals and hydrocarbons.

I'm happy to say that I hate everybody equally. My misanthropic world view is not tempered by race, religion, creed, or colour. Or sex.

Have a nice day, y'all.

Well, I don't know about Mr Sunshine above, but the only reason I log on here @ TV is for a bitch and a good moan. It vents my spleen, lightens my load; and helps me on my merry way; effortlessly skipping and gambolling over the hurdles and chestnuts that life and commerce tries to sprinke into my pathway.

hey kmart,

look mate,

if you keep hitting that dude on the head, you wont be skipping or gambolling anywhere, as the dude will kick you in the chestnuts, rupture your spleen and most definitely lighten your load, hurdling you into a brick wall.

you will really have something to bitch and moan about then fella.

Oooh! Gosh! Mr Alpha Male is back in the house, rubbing his musk gland all over the furniture.

Top internet warrior!

‘'Simon’s Hotel’' is turning into a nice little soap opera.

I'm rivetted! Maybe there could be some kind of "Big Brother" scenario, to see which idling "cleaner" gets the bullet last?

Well, I don't know about Mr Sunshine above, but the only reason I log on here @ TV is for a bitch and a good moan. It vents my spleen, lightens my load; and helps me on my merry way; effortlessly skipping and gambolling over the hurdles and chestnuts that life and commerce tries to sprinke into my pathway.